Over the years, many kinds of precipitation collecting and measuring systems have been used. At first, the readings were taken by collecting the precipitation manually and by inserting them into a graduated cylinder. The need to operate such apparatuses in a more automated manner led to collectors using a spring balance which records its movements on a medium such as a paper scale. The further needs for fully automated collectors then led to optical encoder implements or electronic telemetric implements.
Although the construction of the systems periodically evolved throughout the years, they were not less mechanically complex, mainly because of the compatibility requirement with prior equipments and the need to continue the readings. To achieve readings with greater precision, it was necessary to deal with a considerable number of factors such as the static and the dynamic friction of the mobile parts, the linearity of the springs, and the sensibility of the parts to temperature variations.